Top 10 Tips For Selling Your Used Car

If you are planning on selling or getting rid of your car, a private sale may be for you. Selling your used auto directly to a buyer is an excellent way to get top dollar for your car, but it takes some time and work to find the buyer that will pay what you want. If you take the right steps and market your vehicle correctly, you can hope for a smooth transaction, a happy buyer, and most importantly - some cash in your pocket! If you are in a hurry to get rid of your heap because you desperately need to replace it, a private may not be for you. It will take too much time and trouble for what your car may be worth at that point. If this is the case, you may be better off taking it to a dealership where it can be used as a trade-in. If you do have some flexibility with time, consider a private sale. Ask yourself if you have the time and energy to invest in getting your car sold. If you do, read the tips below - they just may pay off in the end.

Evaluate the Vehicle

Before you can even think about what your car might be worth, you have to honestly and discriminatingly evaluate its condition. Below is a list of some of the factors you need to consider.

Exterior

Take a close look at the exterior of the car. Are there any dings, dents or scratches that you had or hadn't noticed before? How is the paint? Do the metallic/chrome parts (if any) look shiny or dull? How do the tires look? How old are the tires?

Interior

What overall condition is the interior in? Is there any damage to the upholstery? Is the dashboard intact? How much wear and tear has been sustained? If you are a smoker, is there a lingering scent?

Mechanical

How strong does the car run? Does it have any problems? How well does the transmission shift? What does the engine sound like? Does the car have any oil leaks? Does it need any work?

Determine Your Car's Value

Once you have a good idea of the overall condition of your car, you'll be prepared to assign a general value to it. You can use Web sites such as NADA, Kelly Blue Book or Edmunds to get you started. Each site will guide you through the steps to determine your car's value. Make sure to answer all questions honestly. Know all of your car's special features and extra options before you start. Does you car have leather seats? Is there a sun or moon roof? What kind of stereo does it have? Is there a GPS included? All of this will have an impact on the car's value. Once you have a good idea of the value, price your car accordingly. Keep in mind that the higher the price, the longer it may take to sell your vehicle. Also, do some research online to find out what comparable (same make/model/year, etc.) are currently on the market and what they are priced at. Set your price according to how competitive you want to be.

Prepare Your Vehicle

You can have your car detailed by an auto professional or you can do it yourself. Basically, you want to do everything in your power to make your car look as close to brand new as possible. Remove the rugs and vacuum underneath them. Shake out the rugs and vacuum them as well. Wipe down all non-porous surfaces with antibacterial wipes and use Armor-all on all applicable surfaces. Clean the windows from the inside and out. Clean out all storage compartments. Try to make the car look, smell and feel as close to new as you possibly can so that it will feel "new" to every potential buyer.

Advertise Your Car

Nobody will know that your car is available for sale unless you spread the word. There are many different ways of doing so, and no one way is the end-all be-all in terms of effectiveness. The best strategy is to employ a mix of methods so that you are reaching as many potential buyers as possible Try some of the following.

"For Sale" Signs

The best advertising for the automobile will be itself. Once your car looks all clean, shiny and attractive, post For Sale signs in the windows. Make sure that your signs state all relevant details clearly, the most important one being your phone number.

Newspaper Listings

An inexpensive way to reach your local market is to advertise in the newspaper. With newspaper ads you will generally pay by the word or line, so make sure to craft your ad using as few words as possible to highlight the most valuable features of your automobile. Also, make sure that your contact information is accurate. If you are also listing your auto on any Web sites, make sure to point your newspaper audience to those Web sites - especially if the sites contain photos.

Internet Listings

Listing your car for sale on the internet has many benefits. You can reach a wider audience, especially in the case that potential buyers are willing to travel some distance to pick up their vehicles. Many sites also have comprehensive marketing tools such as the ability to post photos and comprehensive checklists and forms that help you include all pertinent information. The drawback is that the price for listing on different Web sites varies and it's difficult to gage how much Web site traffic these sites really have.

Fielding the Calls

After you've started advertising, you will begin to get phone calls from interested parties. It is important to qualify each caller as an actual sales lead. What this means is that you must determine that the buyer is actually in the market for a comparable vehicle and that they have the funds necessary to execute the transaction. You can get this information by asking questions.

Selling Your Car

After properly pricing, marketing and advertising your car, you should get interest in it. The more you work at each of the different steps, the better your chances will be at fetching top dollar for your car.